First Period:

Both sides started slow, but ramped up early, both goaltenders forced to make tremendous saves in order to begin, especially players like Anton Khudobin, who made all the difference for Boston in this period where the Blackhawks seriously pressed their advantage.

That was seriously some of the most insane goaltending I’ve seen out of the guy in a while. Good to have this Khudobin back. No score after one, so we move on.

Second Period:

The Bruins basically spent it reminding Corey Crawford his defense no longer looked like it did last year, and that he would have to do a lot to stop the puck. And he did a lot.

The B’s had plenty of opportunities and passing plays that cut through the Blackhawks like butter; getting multiple shots, rebounds and being able to reset and begin looking for openings over and over, completely erasing the Blackhawk’s shot-lead and making a lot of stanley cup caliber players look like AHLers. It was kind of awesome.

Alas, no score here, either. So to the third we go.

Third Period:

Well...we had to have a goal somewhere, right?

The Bruins got put on the PK early, and the Hawks struck quickly, making a lightning fast passing play that ended in Patrick’s Sharp angle shot...

...And cashing in for a 1-0 lead the Blackhawks would defend aggressively for the rest of the period. The ‘Hawks didn’t see much of a reason to continue to press the advantage as the Bruins did everything they could to try and get back into it but...nothing came up, and they lost.

Thus ends the preseason in a kind of boring game that was briefly exciting for a few minutes at a time.

The Boston Bruins will play their first regular season game against the Nashville Predators at TD Garden, at 7pm EST.

Game Notes:

• JFK, Teddy Purcell, and Jake DeBrusk ate the Blackhawks’ lunch right in front of them. They were dominant in every way but the scoresheet. Every time they were out on the ice they were stymieing shots and getting them going the other way. Solid performance on their part.
• Anton Khudobin did damn near everything right and Patrick Sharp still found the one inch-and-a-half opening to get it past him. He was otherwise looking very good in net.
• Frank Vatrano might seriously be on his way to Providence after a preseason like this. He played the least of any forward tonight, and has otherwise been shuffled closer and closer to the bottom of the lineup and that includes a number of players absolutely going back to Providence come Monday. I think it’s kind of sad how far he’s fallen.
• Jakub Zboril is not named “Jacob Zborak”. Danton Heinen is also not “Dan Hansen”. I don’t know who the guy who calls these CSN games for chicago is but jesus christ he was awful tonight and we have been suffering through some brutal announcing through this preseason.
• How funny is it that a team otherwise full of Chicago’s starting talent took on a team mostly comprised of Providence Bruins players, only came away with one goal and got brutalized possession-wise? Granted, they got the win...but they had the opportunity to be so much better and just weren’t.
• Go to a Providence Bruins game this year. They’re probably gonna be stacked to the gills.

THE REGULAR SEASON STARTS ON THURSDAY! SBNATION’S PREVIEW COMES OUT MONDAY MORNING!

HOCKEY IS (almost) BACK!